You have up to 30,000 females really rooting for each other. The sidelines are full of their loved ones cheering them on. It's one of those events that brings out the best in people.
Brad Stulberg took to Instagram to share that the country's approach to youth sports could be part of the reason why. Obviously Norway and winter sports kind of go hand-in-hand, but Stulberg points out that the country does things a lot differently than countries like America or Canada, where youth sports often feel more like minor league tryouts than kids learning sportsmanship, athleticism, and skills.
For decades in the US, table tennis has lived a double life: one of the most widely played sports in the country, yet still dismissed by many as a basement pursuit. Now, unexpectedly, it is having a cultural moment. The release of Marty Supreme, a film steeped in obsession and myth, and loosely based on postwar American table tennis champion Marty Reisman, has pushed ping-pong into the pop-culture mainstream just as US Major League Table Tennis sells out matches, clubs report growing interest, and younger players pick up paddles for the first time.
"The World Cup is going to raise the bar for women's rugby. I think it will be a really era-defining moment. It will shift from being a niche sport to mainstream, that will make a tremendous difference for girls the world over."
